Archived Webinars*

About the webinar: This webinar focused on the current state of the opioid crisis, including deaths from prescription and illicit opioids, prescribing trends, and steps being taken to address the crisis. The role of the FDA and state prescription drug monitoring programs was be discussed. Publications on appropriate prescribing as related to dentistry were reviewed. Future actions, as recommended by several expert panels, were be presented. The webinar also covered safe disposal of unused medication, in order to decrease the risk of diversion and abuse.

About the webinar: Safe and effective treatment of acute postoperative pain is essential for patient satisfaction and successful practice in dentistry. Because of the growing crisis from illicit and prescription opioid abuse, dentists and other practitioners treating acute pain must understand the risks and benefits of prescribing opioid analgesics such as hydrocodone and oxycodone for managing acute post-operative pain.

This presentation addressed concerns about managing pain when treating adolescents in dental practice. Several non-opioid strategies have been successfully employed in dental practices when treating young adults.

About the webinar: The ADA hosted a joint webinar with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) examining non-opioid strategies for pain management to decrease reliance on prescription opioid pain relievers following dental surgery. The 60-minute webinar included an overview of the CDC's treatment for chronic pain recommendations and how those recommendations can be applied to management of acute pain. It also addressed:

When and how opioids should be initiated for pain.

How to assess risk and address harms of opioid use.

When and how opioids should be discontinued.

How non-opioid strategies can be employed in dental practices to improve the efficacy of acute postoperative pain management.

Presenter(s):

Debbie Dowell, MD, MPH, Senior Medical Advisor/Chief Medical Officer for the Division of Unintentional Injury Prevention at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), CDR in the US Public Health Service, and was the lead author of the 2016 CDC Guideline for Prescribing Opioids for Chronic Pain

Paul A. Moore, DMD, PhD, MPH, member of the Council on Scientific Affairs and Director of the Oral Health Science Institute, Director of Research, Director of Graduate Education, and Chair of the Department of Dental Anesthesiology for the University of Pittsburgh School of Dental Medicine

About the webinar: Substance Use Disorders (e.g. opioid and other substance disorders) are such in their presentation that the deepening shame and guilt of the dental team member who has the disorder typically leads to more and more isolating behavior as the disorder progresses. Peer assistance programs work with the person with the malady to treat the disorder thus drawing the team member back into being an active and productive member of the dental team. This presentation will follow the process of help for the one who needs the help in learning to live a different way of living with this chronic disorder.

Educational objectives:

Give examples of behaviors that can lead other dental team members to the identification of someone with a substance use disorder (e.g. opioid dependency).

Show how assessment and referral to appropriate treatment can lead the team member back into an active and productive practice.

A look at various types of group meeting settings where the individual can see, hear, and meet others (i.e. peers who have similar disorders).

Show methods of accountability for the person and for the team in allowing the individual back into practice.

Determining factors for whether law enforcement and licensing Boards need to be involved.

About the webinar: Proper implementation of prescription writing skills is a critical aspect of patient care in today's climate of opioid abuse and enhanced prescribing regulations. The attendee will learn about the history of pain management and dentistry's responsibility in combating the prescription drug epidemic. The basics of choosing proper analgesics are reviewed so that the attendee will understand the standards of care as they pertain to pain management. Attendees will obtain a better understanding of addiction and substance abuse problems and be better prepared to manage and counsel high-risk patients.

Educational objectives:

Review analgesic prescribing principles in connection with the management of acute dental pain.

Recognize aberrant behavior in the drug seeking patient.

Understand the history of the prescription opioid epidemic and dentistry’s role in combating substance abuse.

About the webinar: Dental pain, both acute and chronic, is and should be considered a serious problem. While American society's war on opioids has focused primarily on physicians, data indicate that dentists are also frequent prescribers. Few would argue that opioids are not necessary in dental practice. However, a considerable percentage of abused opioids originate in dental practices. This lecture will focus on strategies for dentists to allow them to prescribe, when necessary, in a safe manner (i.e. one that provides their patients with adequate and appropriate analgesia while simultaneously safeguarding against misuse, abuse, overdose, and diversion).

Educational objectives:

Identify the moral imperative of opioid prescription in dental practice.

Recognize the risks to patients, dentists and society associated with opioid prescribing.

Presenter(s): Deborah E. Davidson, Senior Director, Member Relations and Special Projects, National Council on Patient Information and Education (NCPIE)

About the webinar: The safe use, storage and disposal of medicine webinar will expand on the many reasons why it is important to have a conversation with your patients about the medicines, both prescription and non-prescription (OTC) you are prescribing following a dental visit or surgery, as all medicine have the potential to be misused by the patient or possibly later by another family member or visitor in the home. You want to make sure your patients understand the benefits and potential risks of the medicines they need to take which also helps to promote better health outcomes. Tips and tools for proper storage and safe disposal of unused medicines will also be discussed.

Educational objectives:

The resources to ensure patients understand why they need to take medications to achieve expected health outcomes and understand any potential side effects.

The knowledge to discuss with patients the importance of safe storage of pain medications.

Skills that will allow them to discuss safe disposal of pain medications with patients.

About this webinar: Beyond providing a prescription for 20 tablets of an opioid-containing analgesic, several strategies have now become accepted in dental practice to improve the efficacy of acute postoperative pain management. The use of peripherally-acting analgesics and steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs preoperatively and intra-operatively, the administration of long-acting local anesthetics to delay pain onset, and the demonstrated enhanced pain-relieving properties of combinations of peripherally-acting analgesics, such as ibuprofen combined with acetaminophen, have become common in many dental practices. These alternative strategies may decrease the reliance on prescription opioid pain relievers following dental surgery.

Educational objectives:

Explain the rationale for combining the two peripherally-acting analgesics acetaminophen (Tylenol®) and ibuprofen (Advil®).

Understand the importance of recent changes made in opioid/acetaminophen formulations containing analgesics such as Vicodin ES®.

Discuss patient recommendations for the safe and responsible use of prescription opioid analgesics.

About this webinar: A one-hour live webinar covering strategies from psychiatry and behavioral health specialists to educate the dental team on addictive disease: how to recognize addictive disease and to provide pain management in dental patients.

Educational objectives:

The knowledge to summarize strategies from psychiatry and behavioral health to educate dentists on addictive disease and pain management.

Information on tools to help dentists recognize aberrant behavior and potential for drug abuse.

Perspective on each patient being an individual and patient selection is no "one-size fits all."

Presenter(s): Patrick Knue, Program Coordinator for the Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (PDMP) Training and Technical Assistance Program through a Bureau of Justice Assistance grant with Brandeis University

About this webinar: This presentation will cover the scope of the prescription drug abuse problem; the history and purpose of prescription drug monitoring programs (PDMPs); how PDMPs operate; how to gain access to the PDMP; types of PDMP reports; PDMP effectiveness; and current status of PDMPs in the U.S.

Educational objectives:

Upon completing the webinar, participants will gain:

Awareness of the prescription opioid abuse problem.

Knowledge of the history and purpose of the PDMP and how they operate.

Aaron Gilson, MS, MSSW, PhD, Research Program Manager, University of Wisconsin, Pain & Policy Studies Group

About this webinar: The purpose of this presentation is to review selected Federal and state policies developed to reduce the transfer of prescription opioid medications from legitimate healthcare practice and patient use to illicit use contributing to public health harms. Discussed Federal policies will include hydrocodone rescheduling and the White House strategy to reduce prescription medication abuse. In addition, relevant state policies will include implementation of the ADA guidelines, medication disposal, and an introduction to prescription drug monitoring programs (PDMPs). Underlying this presentation is the importance of coordinated, multiple, approaches to address abuse and diversion while preserving medical access to needed medications.

Educational objectives:

Upon completing the webinar, participants will gain:

Awareness of Federal policies and the White House strategy to reduce prescription medication abuse.

Knowledge of ADA guidelines related to prescription medication abuse.

Knowledge of the importance of prescription drug monitoring programs (PDMP).

Presenter(s): Michael O’Neil, PharmD, Professor and Vice Chair of the Department of Pharmacy Practice at South College School of Pharmacy in Knoxville, TN

About this webinar: Substance abuse disorders (SUD) have a significant impact on the practice of dentistry regardless of the age or socioeconomic status of the patient population. A wide range of dental-related problems is associated with SUD. Dental practitioners must be able to evaluate the causal link between an individual's SUD and both educate the patient as to the detrimental effects of substance abuse and misuse and provide appropriate dental therapies to combat its dental and oral effects. Additionally, certain modifications to dental procedures must, at times, be made in order to ensure the safe and effective treatment of both pain and dental/oral disease in patients with SUD.

Educational objectives: This webinar will discuss how dentists can implement treatment strategies that guide safe practices while performing procedures with a history of substance abuse disorder. Dentists will also learn how to develop a safe and effective plan for acute pain management for patients receiving opioid maintenance treatment for addiction.

Presenter: Michael O'Neil, PharmD, Professor and Vice Chair of the Department of Pharmacy Practice at South College School of Pharmacy in Knoxville, TN

Educational objectives: This webinar will review key considerations, which includes laws and regulations for prescribing, dispensing and storing controlled substances in dental practices. It aims to educate dentists on regulations most commonly violated by dental practitioners:

Record keeping requirements for prescribing.

Dispensing and storing controlled substances.

Due diligence activities necessary to minimize diversion and abuse of controlled substances by patients and staff.

Speaker: Michael O’Neil, PharmD, Professor and Vice Chair of the Department of Pharmacy Practice at South College School of Pharmacy in Knoxville, TN

About this webinar: This webinar aims to educate dentists on how to interview patients with addiction problems and identify those who are just seeking drugs. Michael O’Neil, PharmD, will lead the webinar and review basic interview and counseling skills that help optimize patient care and protect dentists from patients who may have criminal intent.

Educational objectives: Dentists may find themselves the targets of prescription drug diversion scams and schemes and the webinar will provide tips on how to talk to patients about their intentions and counseling that will help minimize risks to the patient and dentist.

About this webinar: Learn about common scams patients may use to obtain controlled substances from dentists. Includes a discussion on substance use disorder (SUD) and how dentists can incorporate a drug diversion prevention strategy into their practices. He will also instruct dentists on how they can identify overt signs of substance abuse in their patients.

About this webinar: Many healthcare professionals are uncomfortable discussing alcohol and drug use with their patients. Optimal healthcare requires this information for good clinical decisions. All providers need to improve their comfort and skill set in having these discussions.

Speaker: Brian Fingerson, RPh, President of the Kentucky Professionals Recovery Network and adjunct Assistant Professor at the University of Kentucky College of Pharmacy, Sullivan University College of Pharmacy, and Assistant Professor for the Department of Oral Health Science at the University of Kentucky College of Dentistry

About this webinar: An overview of addiction, acute pain, use of opioid medications and their risks, and how dental patients who may be addicts or diverters may seek medications from dental practitioners.

About this webinar: Dentists do not want to contribute to opioid misuse, dependence, overdoses or diversion. However, few have been properly trained during dental school, residency or continuing dental education. Dentists frequently see patients with acute and chronic pain and are often frustratingly caught off-guard with patients at risk for unhealthy use of opioids. This webinar outlines useful strategies for reducing dentists’ frustration and inappropriate prescribing.

Educational objectives: Attendees will be provided suggested treatment contracts, health history forms, and examples of correspondences. We will discuss how the dental team members can help by changing the language they use when discussing pain medication. We will touch upon how to interact with pain specialists and addiction specialists. We’ll also present a step-by-step approach when asked for a specific opioid prescription.

About this webinar: Most patients with nontraumatic dental conditions (NTDCs) present to emergency departments with toothache/pain and receive mainly prescriptions for medications. Although short-term analgesics are critical for managing acute pain, long-term use of analgesics could mask symptoms of underlying injury or disease and create a potential for pain tolerance, substance abuse and exacerbate drug-seeking behavior among addicts of analgesics.

Educational objectives: The primary aim of this study was to examine emergency department providers’ prescribing practices of opioids, non-opioids, combinations (opioids and non-opioids) and no analgesics for NTDC visits in the United States. A reduction in unnecessary prescription of addictive pain medication is crucial to preventing associated side effects and have potential public policy and program implications.

Presenter(s): Michael O’Neil, PharmD, Professor Dept. of Pharmacy Practice, South College School of Pharmacy

About this webinar: Opioid analgesics may account for more than 50 percent of the analgesics prescribed by dentists. A state-wide assessment has not been performed to evaluate dentist’s self-reporting of their prescribing habits and patterns. Therapeutic considerations made by dentists when a patient with the disease of addiction is encountered as well as the dentist’s professional experiences with prescription drug diversion are also reported. The findings of our comprehensive survey encompassing multiple components surround opioid prescribing are discussed.

About this webinar: Opioid medication is useful in treating pain, but this medication has the potential for misuse or abuse. Information was collected from dentists in Spokane County about their prescribing practices around opioid medication. Ninety-three percent of dentists prescribed opioid medication in the last year. The most preferred opioid prescribed was hydrocodone/APAP (i.e. Lortab, Vicodin). A factsheet with findings from the survey was developed for education of and discussion within the dental community. Possible ways to minimize drug diversion are using the Prescription Monitoring Program, having specific office policies around opioid prescribing, and having good communication within the profession.

About this webinar: This session will present basics on recognizing dental patients with active disease as well as those in recovery. The areas of emphasis will be on managing acute dental pain and anxiety for patients in recovery.

Educational objectives: The presentation will help attendees:

Understand the disease concept of addiction and how it presents in dentistry.

Recognize dental patients with active disease as well as those patients in recovery.

Appropriately treat both acute pain and anxiety in this special population of patients.

Patrick J. Sammon, PhD, Department of Oral Health Practice, University of Kentucky College of Dentistry

About this webinar: The dentist must be adept at effective pain management, identification of patients at high risk for substance abuse, giving brief interventions to drug users, and counseling patients about side effects, addictive nature, and proper storage and disposal of prescription medications. This program addressed these competencies and teaches practical skills to recognize the signs and symptoms of drug abuse, refer drug abusing patients for help, and treat recovering patients in your practice. A description of how the body processes pain was reviewed as the basis for discussion and recommendations of practical and effective evidence-based pain management strategies.